By CHASITY TASWELL / Guest Columnist

One plus one plus one equals three. Easy, simple math.

But what about family plus friends plus school plus work? What does that equal?

It equals a stressed, time-crunched teenager.

I am a 17-year-old senior, spending half of my time worrying about getting into the right college, one-fourth of my time keeping my grades up and the last bit of my time soaking up all of the time I can with family and friends.

It is hard to make sure everything I do gets my undivided attention.

Planning for college is more than just visiting campuses and filling out applications. It also means trying to meet requirements and deadlines and making yourself seem like the best you can be.

Considerations for college range from “how close is it” to “how much will it cost?” As close as I am to my family, letting them go is one of the hardest things I will have to do in my high school career, but squeezing them into my already jam-packed schedule is a chore in itself.

“High school is the best time of your life” is a clich/ that rings true, but only if certain priorities are set and expectations met. This is adulthood, full of responsibility and stress.

Stress among teens can be seen on a daily basis. I can look around and see kids doing their homework in other classes, not because they are slackers and do not care, but because they did not get enough sleep the night before because after they came home from work, they stayed up late doing their homework.

Homework may require us to be at the school at 7 a.m. or stay past 2:55 p.m. This cuts into our time with our friends, which is winding down fast. Once we cross that stage and receive our diplomas, there is no guarantee that we will see them after the graduation parties and occasional trips to Wal-Mart.

These have been the best years of my life, and I could never forget them, but trying to juggle everything at the same time may make them the most stressful.

Chasity Taswell is a senior at Thompson High School. She is a senator in Student Government Association and a member of Family Career Consumer Leaders of America, as well as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper.